September 29, 2008

Riding the Rails.......twice

Himself: Shopping. The goal was lights near the bed, and a light, easily moved table for his side of the bed. On the way home, he diverged. Off we went to see “Ghost Town.” Delightful.

Herself: Found lights at IKEA, and a tiny white footstool, but went to three stores and didn’t find a table that was useful. Ghost Town…… I’d like to see it again.

Food: My stomach still not ok, but we are back to WW. Simplicity is what I need.

Vacation Day 2: Museum, two train rides, more museum, a delightful dinner at Fat City with Ghost Dancer, and early to bed.

The first full day in Sacramento, we rode the California State Railway Museum’s excursion train twice. Let’s be sensible about this….when will we be here next. Perhaps ten years from now we will get a chance to do this again.

First we rode the 1924 Observation Car “El Dorado,” then as soon as the engine was turned around, we got on again and rode an open gondola car….here seats were open to the perfect day by the river.

The “El Dorado” had spent only four years in service for the Union Pacific before she was wrecked. Sold to the Southern Pacific, she was run until 1956 slowly being bypassed by the need for more modern, streamlined, rolling stock. By 1956, she had her interiors painted many times, and she was clearly “faded elegance.” Retired to the museum, for years she was used “as is” on the excursion trains before her restoration began in 2000.

Observation lounge.

Today her original details enchant riders willing to pay a slightly higher fee for her 1924 luxury. There’s a pantry, smoking room, and marvelous observation lounge all restored. Inlays were discovered in the observation area, brasses were brought back to their 1924 brilliance,

Observation lounge facing forward.

Observation lounge inlay detail.

Left: Riding in an open gondola car. Right: Along the Sacramento river delta.